Week 07 - The Place of Choosing

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Life Group Questions

Key Verse: Joshua 8:30-35 – Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, 31 just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones on which no one has wielded an iron tool; and they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings. 32 And there, in the presence of the sons of Israel, Joshua wrote on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses which Moses had written. 33 All Israel, the stranger as well as the native born [among them], with their elders and officers and their judges, stood on either side of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord. Half of them stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded at first to bless the people of Israel. 34 Then afterward Joshua read all the words of the law, the blessing and curse, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before the entire assembly of Israel, including the women and the children and the foreigners who were living among them.

1. What was the biggest take-away from Sunday's message for you?

2. When Pastor Paul referred back to Deut. 27, he told us that Moses gave instructions to place "whitewashed" stones on Mt. Ebal and then place an altar in the middle of the stones. Remember the stones had the Law of Moses inscribed on them. How can we apply the imagery of "whitewashed stone" & "altar" in your life?

3. Share with your Life Group some of the choices you have made in your life that have produced good fruit. Now share some decisions that have had poor consequences.

4. The two main things Pastor Paul told us to do were, "Change Directions, and Give It Some Time." As you look around you, how is this principle contrary to the way many people live their lives?

5. How do you plan to apply Sunday's message in your life?

Notes

The Place of Choosing

The Book of Joshua teaches us HOW to possess what is God has given us.

City of Shechem

Joshua 8:30-35
30 Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, 31 as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses – an altar of uncut stones, on which no iron tool had been used. On it they offered to the Lord burnt offerings and sacrificed fellowship offerings. 32 There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on stones a copy of the law of Moses. 33 All the Israelites, with their elders, officials and judges, were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the Lord, facing the Levitical priests who carried it. Both the foreigners living among them and the native-born were there. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had formerly commanded when he gave instructions to bless the people of Israel. 34 Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law – the blessings and the curses – just as it is written in the Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them.

Colossians 2:13-14
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive in Christ. He forgave you all of your sins. He wiped out the handwriting of ordinances written against you. He took it away, nailing it to the cross.

What Jesus did for us.
- He took our failure to live out the law.
- He took the curse that went with it.
- For every mess you’ve made, there’s a cross there.
- Go to the mountain of cursing and you’ll find a cross there.

Shechem

- You can choose life.
- You can choose blessing.
- Gal. 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”
- Through the cross, God has provided a way of blessing, but we must choose to walk that path.
- Are you willing to choose daily to walk the path that God prescribes for you?

“Fix my problem/situation.”

- I can give you a path, and if you will walk this path, it will lead to a different place.- Prov. 27:12 – “The wise see trouble ahead and avoid it, but the foolish keep going and suffer for it.”
- Change direction & give it some time.
- “A long obedience in the same direction.”

Shechem

- Choose blessing / life.
- Make good decisions.
- A long obedience in the same direction.